Conventional refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored and the freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerators are provided with a refrigeration system that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above 0° C., such as between 0.25° C. and 4.5° C. and the freezer compartments at temperatures below 0° C., such as between 0° C. and −20° C.
The arrangements of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another in such refrigerators vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment. Additionally, many modern refrigerators have their freezer compartments and fresh food compartments arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Whatever arrangement of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment is employed, typically, separate access doors are provided for the compartments so that either compartment may be accessed without exposing the other compartment to the ambient air.
Refrigeration appliances are also known to include an air filter within at least the fresh food compartment in order to improve air quality therein. The air filter is positioned within a housing that is generally attached to some structure within the fresh food compartment.
Many modern refrigerators use a passive air filter design. That is, the air filter is positioned within a refrigerator such that said filter is not in direct fluid communication with a cooling air conduit. Rather, the natural airflow of the air cooled by the evaporator within the fresh food compartment will circulate through the filter to improve the air quality.
Other modern refrigerators have an active air filter design. That is, the air filter is positioned in direct fluid communication with a cooling air conduit. As such, the air cooled by the evaporator will forcibly pass through the air filter before entering the fresh food compartment. Placing the air filter housing in a location that facilitates the active design is difficult. It requires reconfiguring cooling air conduits that guide air from the evaporator to the fresh food compartment. Additionally, the placement of the housing can negatively impact the overall aesthetics of the fresh food compartment.